Micromax 50K2330 49-inch 4K TV review

Micromax, which is still mainly known for its smartphones, has surprised everyone by launching a new 49-inch 4K model at just Rs 50,000.

On paper, the 4K TV is a feature-rich offering equipped with smart TV functionality based on Android, a plethora of connectivity options and additional storage options for content. Although 4K content ecosystem is still at a nascent stage, not just in India but the world over, support for high-resolution content makes the TV more future-ready.

But is the Micromax 4K TV really as great value-for-money proposition as it appears to be? We try to find out in our review...

Build & designMicromax 50K2330 LED tv doesn't look dull thanks to its golden coloured metal frame. The bronze or golden frame has narrow bezels which is a good thing, and sport a brushed textured finish which does not look very refined but is also not an eyesore. The buttons for power, volume control, channel and source (input) are at the back close to the right edge. Although these look and feel plasticky, they offer good tactile feedback.

The slim panel gets thick at the back due to the boxed speakers and other circuitry. The audio out ports, 2 HDMI ports and a VGA port are placed at the back panel towards the bottom with Component out ports and ethernet port. The three USB ports (one is 3.0) and a SD card slot is towards the right side at the back along with the ports for microphone, headphones S/PDIF. The placement of the ports is not very convenient for wall mounting and it's a little cumbersome to reach them.

The set includes two metal stands that can be easily screwed in with the base on either side and also supports a wall mount. The stand has a golden coloured glossy finish that looks a bit cheap.

The remote control is compact and has better quality compared to other Micromax TV remotes. It has motion-sensing capability(somatosensory) and can be used as a mouse to control the TV's Android UI. It doesn't house a lot of buttons as most functions are menu driven. The remote does have a microphone for voice commands and video chat.

FeaturesMicromax 50K2330UHD LED sports 49-inch 4K (3840x2160p) Zero Dot LED Panel with 16.7 million colours. It has a static contrast ratio of 1200:1 and supports SRS surround sound system with two 12Watt speaker outlets.

With typical usage the power consumption of the TV is 120 Watts and standby consumption less than 1 Watt.

The TV has smart TV functionality powered by a dual core processor, 1GB RAM and 2.5GB storage, comes with Android 4.4 KitKat, and supports internet connectivity via Wi-Fi and Ethernet. It also supports audio and video playback via USB flash and external hard disk drives and supports most popular audio and video formats in addition to still images.

It comes with pre-loaded games such as RipTide GP, TurboFly and SpeedX 3D and access to the Play Store means you can download other third party Android apps. You can even install Android apps via storage devices (USB drive and memory cards). It also comes with MiScreenTV, an app that allows you to mirror content from your smartphone and even control the tv.

You can also make your TV a Wi-fi hotspot by connecting it to the internet via a LAN cable. You can take screen grabs of content playing on TV as well.

The 4K TV can be connected with external speakers via an analog cable and there's digital audio out support as well.

The TV's Somatosensory infrared remote also acts as a controller for games.

Performance4K content is not easily available in India and that's one thing that will bother you especially if you have a capped (and slow) broadband connection and buy content legally. We used a Videocon D2H 4K satellite box and some 4K movie trailers and videos to test the TV's performance. For some reason the YouTube app on the TV does not offer anything beyond 720p (even if you play files that were uploaded as 4K).

While the Videocon box supports 4K content at 60Hz refresh rate, it only played well when you set it to 25Hz. Setting it to even 30Hz caused playback issues while 60Hz mode did not work at all.

We have to say that at 25Hz, the picture quality was really nice with good sharpness levels, bright and vibrant colours and decent black levels. We did not experience any pixillation.

Even full-HD and HD content rendered well with excellent contrast and brightness levels. Standard definition content did not look that good. One reason for this could be the panel's size and problems with the upscaling engine.

The TV takes a long time to start due to the smart functionality and at times got stuck while switching to another input source. Android apps don't really perform very well and we still don't get why TV makers put a tablet UI on a large screen. Micromax's content apps don't really work at this point in time. Even mirroring was hit or miss working occasionally.

Audio performance was decent but sound clarity gets affected at higher volume levels. You'd be better off with an external set of speakers or sounder.

VerdictIf you consider the price to panel ratio, the Micromax 49-incher 4K TV delivers great value for money at Rs 49,990. It's not a top-of-the-line TV so comparing it with others that cost double or triple its price would be a little unfair.

There's not much available in terms of good 4K content. A typical 4K remastered movie would be a 22GB download. With most ISPs putting FUP caps, it's hard to imagine downloading or streaming 4K content. Both Apple TV and Chromecast don't support 4K content. So the only feasible source would be a 4K satellite box. The single broadcast channel on Videocon D2H offers just re-runs of documentaries and travel shows. Yes, there would be sports broadcasts of major events in 4K but a lot would also depend on whether your provider has the rights to broadcast it.

If you're looking for a big screen 4K LED TV but don't want to shell out a lot of money the Micromax 50K2330UHD LED TV is a good buy. Although it doesn't support 4K content at high refresh rates, full-HD content which is easily available, looks great on the TV.